Spicy Chili Rub

Published July 1, 1997.

Why this recipe works:

While developing an accessible pulled pork recipe, we determined that the shoulder roast, which has the most fat, also retains the most moisture and flavor during a long, slow cook. For flavor, we massaged a spicy chili rub into the meat, wrapped the roast in plastic, and refrigerated it for… read more

While developing an accessible pulled pork recipe, we determined that the shoulder roast, which has the most fat, also retains the most moisture and flavor during a long, slow cook. For flavor, we massaged a spicy chili rub into the meat, wrapped the roast in plastic, and refrigerated it for at least three hours to "marinate." Next we cooked the roast first on the grill to absorb its smoky flavor (from hickory chips—no smoker required), then put it in the oven to finish cooking (largely unattended). Finally, a rest in a paper bag allowed the flavorful juices to be reabsorbed by the meat. As a final step towards the best and easiest pulled pork recipe, we developed three barbecue sauce recipes from North Carolina and South Carolina.

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